Protecting the Great Lakes
Schuette and Wyant Put Enbridge on Notice: Reinforce Pipeline Beneath the Straits of Mackinac

Contact: Joy Yearout 517-373-8060

July 24, 2014

LANSING - Attorney
General Bill Schuette and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
Director Dan Wyant today sent a formal notice to Enbridge addressing the
requirement to install additional anchors for two oil pipelines laid in the
Mackinac Straits more than sixty years ago. The State's formal notice to
Enbridge Energy and Enbridge Pipelines, L.L.C. follows Schuette and Wyant's
formal request for information from the companies in April, and is in addition
to the recent formation of the Michigan Petroleum Task Force, co-chaired by
Schuette and Wyant to examine petroleum pipeline issues more closely.

The notice
sent by Wyant and Schuette today responds to Enbridge's acknowledgement that it
is currently not in compliance with their agreement with the State of Michigan,
which limits the maximum span or length of unsupported pipe in Enbridge's
pipelines in the Mackinac Straits.

"We have a
responsibility to mitigate any risk of serious harm to our Great Lakes," said
Schuette. "If we see evidence that something isn't quite right with the
infrastructure that lies beneath them, we're going to address it with every tool
available. We will insist that Enbridge fully comply with the conditions of the
Straits Pipeline Easement to protect our precious environmental and economic
resources and limit the risk of disaster threatening our waters."

"The Great Lakes are
our greatest natural resource assets, and we must do all we can to protect
them," Wyant said. "Installing additional pipeline supports means additional
protection, and we look forward to Enbridge completing this work quickly."

The letter signed by
Schuette and Wyant on behalf of the State addresses the easement agreement with
the State of Michigan that allowed the construction and operation of the
Enbridge Straits Pipelines in 1953. The agreement requires pipeline supports at
least every 75 feet to ensure the stability of the pipelines running along the
lake bed.

Enbridge recently
acknowledged in their June response to an information request from Schuette and
Wyant that some portions of the pipelines do not meet that requirement. The
company noted it intends to install additional supports this year so that they
would be spaced an average of 50 feet apart.

Ongoing
Conversation with Enbridge to Protect the Great Lakes

On April 29,
2014, Schuette and Wyant made a formal request for detailed information from
Enbridge Inc. and Enbridge Pipelines Inc. regarding two Enbridge oil pipelines
laid in the Straits of Mackinac more than 60 years ago.

The letter signed by Schuette and Wyant asked for detailed information about the
Enbridge pipelines within 60 days, including:

Pipeline Life
Expectancy: Details on the construction, modification, and estimated
life expectancy of the pipelines, as well as any anticipated replacement
plans.

Pipeline Use:
Existing and potential uses for the pipelines in the future.

Spill Response Plans:
Company response plans in the event of a leak or spill.

On June 27, 2014,
Enbridge responded to the State's request for information and that response is
still under review.

Today's formal
request for action on the spacing of pipeline anchors is an important first step
in ensuring the Great Lakes are protected from a potentially catastrophic spill
in the event of a pipeline failure.

Michigan
Petroleum Pipeline Task Force

Last month, Wyant
and Schuette announced they will co-chair a multi-agency government task force
to take a close look at pipelines transporting petroleum products around the
state.

Formal oversight for
interstate gas and oil pipelines comes from the federal Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration. But the vast network of lines transporting
petroleum products over and under Michigan has the potential to impact
Michigan's environment and communities.

The Michigan
Petroleum Pipeline Task Force includes the Michigan Attorney General's office as
well as DEQ, the Michigan Public Service Commission, Department of Natural
Resources, Michigan Office of the Great Lakes, Michigan Department of
Transportation and Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland
Security Division.

Additional topics
the group will address include:

The state's
emergency management preparedness for spills;

Coordination of
permitting issues for pipeline upgrades and replacement; and,

The creation of
a state website to serve as an information clearinghouse for residents who
have questions or concerns about pipelines.